Princess Sphere class: Sun and Star Princess compared
Compare Sun and Star Princess: Piazza, Dome, Arena, SkyDeck, Sanctuary accommodation and Cabana Mini-Suites, with official deck plans.
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Sun Princess and Star Princess offer a glass-wrapped Piazza, The Dome and the adaptable Princess Arena theater. The Sphere-class ships suit travelers who will spend time exploring restaurants and evening venues between ports.
Room choice can change which parts of the ship you use. Sanctuary Collection accommodation includes access to private dining and relaxation areas; a Cabana Mini-Suite offers a different indoor-outdoor layout. Neither label alone tells you whether the room has every full-suite benefit.
What matters for your decision
- Distinctive Piazza, Dome and Arena spaces give the ship a strong identity.
- The size and spread of venues require more walking and planning.
- Sanctuary Balcony and suite benefits differ; confirm Signature Suite Lounge eligibility for the exact category.
A new layout around the Piazza, Dome and Arena
Sphere changes the layout, not merely the size, of the Princess experience. The Piazza is a prominent ocean-facing social space, and The Dome combines a distinctive glass enclosure with a setting used for different activities. The Princess Arena provides a more flexible performance environment than a conventional fixed proscenium theater.
This is still a mainstream Princess cruise, with pools, youth spaces, a casino and organized evening entertainment. It is not a waterpark ship. In particular, do not choose a sailing from old launch coverage promising Park19 rides: those descriptions are not a sound guide to the current upper decks. Use the current ship plan and the current SkyDeck facilities instead.
Sun and Star Princess
| Ship | What distinguishes the choice |
|---|---|
| Sun Princess | The first Sphere ship establishes the Piazza, Dome, Arena and Cabana accommodation concepts; compare the current room benefits rather than its pre-launch category names. |
| Star Princess | SkyDeck adds a sports court, jogging track and splash pad. O’Malley’s has 32 more seats and Love by Britto 20 more than on Sun; both can still require advance dining plans. |
Evening venues and the current SkyDeck facilities
Star’s fact sheet identifies a sports court for pickleball and basketball, a jogging track and a splash pad on SkyDeck. These are practical recreation facilities, not the elaborate suspended rides described in early Sphere publicity. Choose the ship for what is operating now.
Firefly Park serves ages 3–7, Neon Grove ages 8–12 and The Underground ages 13–17. Younger children aged six months to two years can use the play area with a parent or guardian during designated Family Play Times. A parent or guardian must stay; this is not drop-off childcare.
Specialty restaurants, Plus, Premier and separate tickets
Crown Grill, Sabatini’s, Makoto Ocean, The Catch by Rudi and Umai offer paid alternatives to the main dining rooms. For included casual meals, look to The Eatery, International Café and the Lido or Promenade food counters. You can plan a full week of meals without buying specialty dinners.
Princess Plus and Premier have distinct meal allowances, exclusions and reservation requirements. On Sun Princess, Spellbound currently advertises $45 per guest for one magic show and two cocktails. Its original dinner format is no longer the published offer; budget for a meal elsewhere.
Sanctuary access and Cabana Mini-Suite privacy
Sanctuary Collection includes access to the Sanctuary Restaurant and Sanctuary Club. The Sanctuary Club is restricted to ages 16 and older. The Signature Suite Lounge is reserved for full-suite guests; a Sanctuary Balcony or Sanctuary Mini-Suite does not provide that same lounge benefit. Compare the room category alongside the package attached to your booking.
Cabana Mini-Suites add an indoor-outdoor transition area. The Deck 9 Cabana Deck categories also involve access to a shared sun deck. Decide whether the extra space suits your party and examine how the outdoor room relates to that shared area. A balcony photograph cannot show every sight line or privacy boundary.
For travelers who will spend time exploring the ship
Sphere suits travelers who enjoy choosing among several dining and evening experiences and want a newer interpretation of Princess. It is particularly persuasive for a sailing with enough sea time to explore the ship.
Compare an earlier class if you value a more familiar layout, a traditional promenade routine or fewer decisions about premium areas. A port-intensive itinerary can reduce the value of paying extra for venues you will rarely use.
Pros and cons
| Advantages | Compromises |
|---|---|
| Distinctive Piazza, Dome and Arena spaces give the ship a strong identity. | The size and spread of venues require more walking and planning. |
| A broad restaurant choice supports travelers who make dining part of the trip. | Premium accommodation and experiences can raise the trip cost substantially. |
| Several accommodation concepts allow different balances of space and private-area access. | Launch-era descriptions and room names can misrepresent the current product. |
Other ships to consider
Royal class is the closest Princess comparison for a large ship with extensive dining and entertainment. Grand-class designs offer a more traditional layout. Choose Sphere for the particular spaces and room benefits you want, not simply because the delivery date is later.
Official deck plans
| Ship | Features and current information | Official deck-plan destination |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Princess | Sun Princess: official overview | Deck plans for Sun Princess |
| Star Princess | Star Princess: official overview | Deck plans for Star Princess |
Photograph and further reading
The photograph shows Sun Princess at the date recorded in its credit. It illustrates the vessel, not a guarantee of its current paintwork, cabins or latest refit. Original photograph and attribution; photograph license.
Your decision checklist
- Compare Sun and Star’s current restaurant and show schedules.
- Distinguish Sanctuary Collection access from full-suite lounge privileges.
- Inspect the specific Cabana or balcony category and its outdoor space.
Questions travelers ask
Which ships does this guide cover?
Sun Princess, Star Princess. This operating roster was checked for September 23, 2026; future additions are not counted.
Do Sanctuary Balcony guests have Signature Suite Lounge access?
No. Princess reserves that lounge for full-suite guests. Sanctuary Balcony and Sanctuary Mini-Suite guests receive the Sanctuary access listed for their own category, including the Sanctuary Restaurant and Sanctuary Club.
Is Sphere class a waterpark ship?
No. Star Princess has a SkyDeck sports court, jogging track and splash pad. Do not book either ship expecting the suspended rides in early Park19 publicity. Use the current plan to compare pools and recreation areas.
Official sources and further reading
Sources checked September 23, 2026. Explore the original policies, destination guidance and provider information behind this article. Each description explains what you will find at the source.
- Princess Cruises fleetFleet context; future bookable ships are excluded from this operating roster.
- Sun Princess official ship informationShip features and layouts; booking-specific operation and inclusions can vary.
- Star Princess official ship informationShip features and layouts; booking-specific operation and inclusions can vary.
- Sun Princess official deck plansUse the version applicable to your sailing; linked operator resource, not a reproduced or independently surveyed plan.
- Star Princess official deck plansUse the version applicable to your sailing; linked operator resource, not a reproduced or independently surveyed plan.
- Princess 2026–2028 fleet and deck-plan brochurePrincess groups Diamond and Sapphire with Grand class; this collection separates those two as a useful design subgroup.
- Star Princess official fact sheetShip features and layouts; booking-specific operation and inclusions can vary.
- Photograph: Sun PrincessSun Princess · 2024 · Adamdl06204917 · CC0; Wikimedia thumbnail, displayed to fit the page.
- Princess Spellbound current offerPublished $45 magic show and two cocktails; current offer excludes dinner.
- Sanctuary Collection access by room typeDistinguishes suite lounge access from other Sanctuary room benefits and states the club age limit.